Invisible Web
by perseverance-n
Summary: Death isn't the end for her. It's only the beginning for she is reborn as Hinata Hyuga. SI Hinata/Spoilers/Mostly AU.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This is yet another and last idea I have for fanfiction. I've written self-inserts for original characters but I wanted to try writing one from my favorite character in Naruto, Hinata. So...umm... things you know about Naruto, if you can put that aside and please read this story with an open mind. Give it a chance. Thanks.

 **Disclaimer:** Naruto and the characters are not mine. :(

 **Warning:** Characters are OOC, self-insert, violence, mostly AU, and possibly some Mary-Sue in the future chapters.

 _ **Please leave no flames.**_

* * *

 _"Everything is connected, like a delicate web. Ever growing, ever changing. New silvery strands come together every day, and once the strand is formed, no matter what superficial circumstances may sometimes keep you apart, it is never broken. You will meet again, perhaps in another lifetime. The connection is unbreakable, lying dormant in your subconscious."_

 _― **Chelsie Shakespeare, The Pull**_

OoO

Life was fleeting and mostly overlooked. There was a vague belief that life would continue no matter what. For those who died, no one knew what happened to them.

But she knew better than anyone.

Because she joined the ranks of those who perished.

And to say that she was being granted a second chance, it was a dream come true.

However, something must have been screwed over when she was reborn into a world with her previous memories still in tack.

And to make things worse, she was born into a familiar world of a show she used to watch.

That was messed up!

OoO

She was considered a late bloomer. Her first word came at the age of two. Her first steps came after. Her first set of memories of Naruto hit her at the age of four and by then she could barely speak in full sentences. The name Hinata Hyuga stunned her to a point her mind went black and her body turned numb.

And still the reality of being born into Naruto as such a person, came with doubt.

So she opted to stare at everything around her with mute wonder. Her quietness and her unusualness caused questions.

Even seated on cushions in a room full of men, who were considered high class ninjas, Hinata watched the cold man she called father casually spread his fingers on his knees. Not once did he regard her, although she was his closest kin. The Hyuga members observed them with feigned interest. "This better be important," another man with dark midnight hair and the obvious trait of the Hyuga clan, white eyes, said.

"It is," the head of the Hyuga replied tersely.

He didn't continue which led the first man to reply once again. "And why have you called us all in here?"

For the first time that night Hiashi Hyuga, her father, glanced at her before dismissing her. She had gathered that she was a great disappointment to him and the rest of their clan. "It has come to my attention that my first-born daughter is unfit to be the heiress of the Hyuga clan."

Silence filled the atmosphere.

She could feel all eyes land on her and she fidgeted in her seat. Her lashes lowered to conceal the intenseness that surrounded her and seemed to suffocate her.

"What do you suggest?" another man questioned.

"My other daughter Hanabi Hyuga has shown more talent in ninjutsu than my first."

There were quick murmurs around the room but it didn't stop Hiashi from sharing his suggestion. "I say we'll make her the next heiress of the Hyuga clan."

He was intentionally giving space for someone to object.

"I do have another suggestion. How about my son Neiji? He has shown great potential in his training to become a ninja," the first man spoke.

Instantly, the other men began talking all at once.

Hiashi lips curled upward on his face. It was the only emotion he allowed to display on his countenance. "Sounds interesting."

Feeling encouraged, the other man finished. "Then we should let them duel to see who is the strongest."

Everything was based on duels. Only the strongest ninja could dare be the heir or heiress of the Hyuga clan. Already, she had faced her sister and lost when she couldn't deal any devastating blows. To her, hurting those she called family to prove her worth was wrong. Her father called it a weakness, which was why she was seated among them at the meeting that would decide her fate.

"Let them continue their studies at the Academy. When the time is right, then the duel will be announced."

Again, murmurs spread throughout the room. Some of the Hyuga members were shocked by Hiashi's generosity. Others were outraged by it.

"No!" one of them protested. "The authority should remain with the main house members of the Hyuga clan."

"But the strongest of the clan should be the one to rule the Hyuga clan," Hinata's father remarked, causing everyone to quiet down. "Besides what kind of leader will I be if I don't give everyone a fair chance."

No one dared to deny him.

"My main reason for calling everyone here is to predict my first-born daughter's outcome. As it is, there is only room for one to be trained under the main house of the Hyuga clan. Failures are casted aside."

Hinata's eyes widened when all eyes of the occupants landed on her. She squeezed the fabric of her kimono in her hands as she looked down at her lap.

"Then put her to live with another Hyuga family," someone threw out an option.

"But who will want a failure to live with them?"

This was not a part of the anime Hinata recalled. When the original Hinata was no longer the Hyuga heiress, her father trained her younger sister but Hinata still remained somewhat part of the family.

"Shall we do what the other Hyuga leaders have done in the past?"

"Isn't that a bit too extreme?" someone dissented.

Hinata snuck a peak at her father. His mouth was a thin line.

"Situations in the past called for such an action. This one isn't any different," he concluded.

Silence fell, and a roaring noise filled her ears as he took a breath. "Then her Byakugan should be sealed."

"But she's a member of the main house. She doesn't have a seal like those from the branches," an elderly man commented.

"Don't worry," he reassured him and the other members. "I saw signs of her late blossoming and incurred a seal on her on her third birthday."

No one said a word.

"And right now, I could remove the seal, taking away her ability to use her Byakugan."

Hinata's throat closed up. If he did that, the one trait that made her a Hyuga would disappear and she couldn't imagine not being like the others.

"No!" she suddenly shouted, getting everyone's attention. She was on her feet, her hands balled into small fists at her sides.

"Enough," Hiashi snapped at her. He stood up, moving swiftly and yet gracefully toward her. He grabbed her small chin, forcing her to look at him. "Check yourself, or I'll do it for you."

She bit down on a reply. She never dreamed of talking back to him in front of the other Hyuga members, even if she was trying to defend herself. What she learned the past few years being in Naruto's world was that among ninjas, the strongest always had the last say. The claim for fighting and protecting the weak was a farce.

She lowered her eyes, breaking eye contact with him.

"Good, let us begin." A smirk grew on his lips. A few trusted members of the Hyuga clan rose fluidly on their feet. They made their way beside her, closing her in on all sides.

Instantly, she began to struggle as two men grabbed her and held her arms tightly to a point they lifted her small body into the air.

"This will hurt for a couple of seconds," her father warned.

She didn't know what he did next as she kicked out with her legs and shook her arms, trying to break the men's hold. There was a slight but cold touch to her forehead, an incantation of words and pain surged through her body. Then she was falling, screaming, to the floor.

She stayed on the floor as the tidal wave of pain consumed her. She curled up, laying fetal position aspired moans echoed in the room. Her dark strands of hair were a disarray and matted to her sweaty face. Hinata wasn't sure how long she resembled a broken ball at the men's feet but the moment she opened her eyes, all she could see was darkness.

OoO

Someone wrapped a bandage around her head, mainly covering her eyes.

"What will happen to her now that she's blind?" a feminine voice asked. She felt soft hands momentarily touching her cheeks.

"She's not blind forever," her father responded. "In taking her Byukugan, her eyes need to adjust being normal. Although knowing her capabilities, that'll take forever."

"Do you know anyone else who is willing to take her in?"

"No," he answered. "I highly doubt anyone will want her."

Hearing such words from the person who was supposed to be her father broke her heart. He held high expectations for her and she greatly dissatisfied by him by being a late bloomer. She was also learning that despite being reborn as Hinata Hyuga, she carried the many traits the original one possessed such as being kind hearted, unwilling to harm others, and being unsure about herself. However, the original Hinata was capable of talking normally to people, except Naruto.

She couldn't bring herself to talk to her family members.

"We can't just let her wander the streets in the condition she's in," the woman she had come to know as her mother said. "Perhaps she can stay here in secret."

"Enough," the man admonished her coldly. "The moment she lost her title as the Hyuga heiress, she lost her place in this family as well. Without her Byukugan, she's as good as dead."

The woman gasped but said nothing in return.

"By morning, remove her from this household or I'll do so myself."

Hinata was left kneeling on the floor while she heard their footsteps move away from her.

OoO

Her eyesight returned to normal by next morning. The cloth was removed from her eyes as sunlight caused her to blink her eyes several times. Tears leaked down the corner of her cheeks.

A woman with long black hair and white eyes stared at her with dismay. Her hands clutched Hinata's shoulders. "I'm so sorry my daughter," she said. She pulled the little girl into an embrace, clutching her tightly. It was her last chance to see her before she let her go for good. There was no swaying her husband from letting go their child and as a mother to the girl for a couple of years, she grew to love Hinata as her own.

"We have to get you out of here before your father returns," she said urgently, but her voice sounded hoarse.

"Where?" the girl asked her. She used one word when she chose to communicate with them. That one time was now and the mother felt honored and at the same time distraught that she was hearing her talk.

"There's a teacher who you'll be staying with. Her name is Kurenai Sarutobi. But..." Tears coursed down the woman's face. "Since the short notice, I couldn't find anyone to take you to her, so I put together this paper and money you'll need to get there."

She reached at the side of her and pulled a paper with extra money to give to the child. Then she tucked it in her sleeve, seeming to realize that girl was in shock.

There were shouts in the distance and the woman widened her eyes. "You have to leave before he gets here."

She pushed the child to the front doors. Some members of the Hyuga clan were already standing at the front entrance, waiting for her to leave their property.

Hinata lowered her head as she heard the woman sobbed from behind her. The rest of the members didn't have to say a word. Their pale eyes pinned her to the spot. A particular voice called out to her. "Hinata!"

Hanabi, her younger sister, was calling out to her but Hinata knew if acknowledged her sister, she would lose her resolve to walk away from the Hyuga clan. She had to show them that although she wasn't a member, she was still strong. This was another one of those tests to prove her strength. And she was going to survive.

She continued treading out of the Hyuga residence with her head up high, her shoulders straightened and her spine rigid. The plea to return by her younger sister was long forgotten. The moment the main gates closed on her, she deliberately dropped the little piece of paper and the money her mother gave her on the dirty ground.

She didn't need to stay with someone who didn't want her. Instead, she was going to use her knowledge about Naruto's world to make a living for herself. Internally, she had decided that she would change certain parts of Naruto's world, beginning with how people viewed her.

"Welcome to Naruto's world," she whispered to no one as she departed from a place she once called home.

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 **A/N:** If you like follow or favorite. And please leave a comment. Thanks again.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Here's a warning before you read. Things you know about Naruto will be changing from here on out, however, when characters reach of age to go to the academy, I will follow certain parts of the anime.

* * *

Throwing the money aside had been her biggest mistake. The hunger, a crippling kind, was getting to her. Two days had gone by with her wandering the crowded streets and the delicious aroma of food from the restaurants or fruits and vegetables being sold at the market were tempting her. All kinds of negative ideas were filling her mind; whether to steal money or food or maybe she could beg for money.

And damn it! She threw away the money because of her pride.

"Did you see that girl?" someone whispered as she barely walked pass them. "Doesn't she look familiar?"

Wait, did they know about her being in the Hyuga clan? Her eyes were a dead giveaway. Hinata learned to walk the streets with her head down. Her head was covered by the cloth that was really a zip up sweater. As long as she stayed in a crowded area, people didn't bother to look down at her. They were too busy with their daily vendettas.

But her hunger must have made her careless.

"Yeah, now that you mention it, she does look like..."

She didn't wait for the person to finish. Instantly, she was dashing away from the people, not giving them a chance to discover her real identity.

"Wait!" a person yelled from behind her. With energy she didn't know she had, she ran for all she was worth, evading figures, slipping between market stalls, passing through alleys. When she felt like her lungs were going to burst, she stopped in an alleyway. Her hands clutched her knees as she bent over gasping for air.

Glancing up, she wiped away the sweat that formed on her forehead from her sprint. Her stomach rumbled and she clutched at it with her hands. She had to find food quick, it was getting harder to move her body.

Just then, a bunch of kids rushed into the alleyway. Hinata, realizing she wasn't alone quickly scanned a place as a hiding spot. She spotted a few crates and went behind it. Fortunately, the kids were too busy pushing another kid into the alleyway.

"Look, isn't he pathetic?" one boy snarled.

Hinata peered at side of the crates to see a black-haired boy roughly pushing a small blond child to the ground. The other two boys laughed at him.

"Yeah, he likes to act tough but he's really a loser," another dark-hair boy added.

"Yeah, loser!" They snickered at him

The boy wore a bright orange outfit that was filthy and a set of dirtied goggles on his head. He looked battered and lost being on his hands and his knees. He didn't look to be older than her. Hinata blinked her eyes, recognizing the blond boy to be the hero of the anime she watched during her college years, Naruto.

They pushed at him again, causing him to hit the wall hard. Some people passed by with a blind eye. She recalled how the villagers used to treat Naruto, like he was the dirt beneath their feet. It was all due to the creature he harbored inside him.

Didn't they realize that Naruto's father was the one who saved the village by sealing the Nine-Tails inside of him?

No. Or else, they would've treated him better.

The first kid roughly pulled the goggles from his head. When Naruto reached out for it, the kid punched his face. "And he wants to be a shinobi," he taunted Naruto.

The others laughed.

"No matter how hard he tries, he's just trash," another one replied.

"Let's teach him a lesson." The boys snickered sickeningly and started to beat Naruto up. Hinata couldn't watch on the sidelines anymore. She stepped out from behind the crates and ran to them all while screaming at the top of her lungs. "Stop!" Her scream caused the villagers nearby to freeze and see the situation.

"Shut up!" the black headed kid shouted. His fist collided into her stomach, making her hunched over in pain and to cough out loud.

"What do you kids think you're doing?" an adult, who was finally brave enough, asked them. Hinata collapsed to the ground, alongside the blond.

"We... were try... playing," another kid fumbled for the right words.

"You think beating up little kids is playing?"

Their answer was silence.

"Get out of here before I tell your parents."

She heard footsteps leaving her and the boy alone before she let out a shuddering breath.

A form bent over her. Gentle hands curved around her small shoulder blades. "Hey kid, are you okay?"

She would have answered the woman but days of starving, dehydration and exertion finally caught up to her.

"Damn it! This is not suppose to happen!" the woman complained.

But Hinata wasn't paying attention anymore. Her eyes closed, meeting the darkness that promised to take her away from the pain.

OoO

"How long has she been out?" a masculine voice questioned from somewhere in the distance. Hinata's eyelids drifted open, taking in the white walls and a large open window with white curtains fluttering in the breeze.

"It's been days and she's showing no progress in healing," another voice, a feminine one replied.

"Did you check her chakra?"

"Well, that's the thing. I can't get an accurate reading on her chakra. It's almost as if she doesn't have one."

"That's impossible. Every shinobi knows that every living organism has chakra inside them."

"But she's not a shinobi. She's a regular-."

"Don't you know who she is? Her hair and eyes are part of the Hyuga clan. Did you notify the Hyuga clan?"

"I tried, Shinto-sama. They're turning everyone away."

"What kind of family are they?" the man muttered. "At least get Aida-sama back here. She can detect why we're not getting an accurate reading."

"But she's busy in the paint shop," the woman answered.

"Offer to take her place. This won't take long."

"Alright Shinto-sama."

Hinata heard footsteps leave the room. Quickly and quietly she shifted on the bed and noticed there was another person sleeping beside her. Her eyes almost bulged when she saw it was the same blond boy from the alleyway. Realizing a squeak escaped her, she covered her mouth.

"So I see you're awake. Took you long enough," a brunette man walked into the room. He wore dull black clothing, shinobi sandals and a Hidden Leaf head protector on his forehead, signifying he was a shinobi.

Seeing no reason to burden him any further, the dark-haired girl sat up on the bed. She opened her mouth, except her vocal cords hurt.

Suddenly, there was a burst of wind into the room, causing the curtains to flutter wildly and then a woman appeared by the window. Hinata blinked her eyes and then rubbed at them. She'd never seen when the woman entered the room.

"Oh, Aida-sama! You're always making an entrance."

"Not when you interrupt me with my work, Shinto. This better be good," The woman had gray hair that shimmered in the sun. Her clothes were simple, a pale blue shirt, a green long skirt and simple sandals. Her dark eyes landed on the small girl.

"Ah, you woke up."

The small girl nodded her head.

"I was beginning to think you love to sleep but that doesn't matter. You went a couple days without food and water and your body gave out."

"I feel like there's more. Jina-san couldn't read her chakra."

The elderly woman frowned. "That's impossible."

"That's the same thing I said to her."

"Well, then you know what we have to do." The brunette man nodded his head. "It'll be my honor Aida-sama."

The man approached Hinata, making her scoot back on the bed. After being held by four men, the girl wanted to have nothing to do with these strangers. Instantly, he grabbed her wrists and pinned them down on the bed. What happened next became a blur. The woman named Aida chanted something while making hand seals and then rough hands were splayed on her stomach. A pain surged through her, beginning at her stomach and then traveling throughout her body. She screamed.

Then the pain vanished, making her body limp. Her heavy pants filled the air.

"You're right, her chakra is strange," she heard the elderly lady said. "And that means I'm going to have to pay a visit to that idiot."

"He'll be in for a surprise," the other man responded.

"Shinto, I need you here to watch after the children."

"Alright."

The footsteps walked away from Hinata and tiredly she sat up on the bed. She put most of her weight on her elbows.

"Are you okay?" a voice from beside her startled her. She turned her head to see clear blue eyes blinking at her.

She almost yelped but her throat was too hoarse and dry to make another sound.

"Granny Aida was only trying to help you."

Apparently, the blond child knew the old lady as he seemed to be calm.

"She doesn't normally help folks. She doesn't trust them."

A frown formed on her face. The blond boy laid back down on the bed, his arms curved behind his head. Hinata was forced to crane her neck to keep him in her sight. He wasn't looking at her. He was staring at the ceiling.

"But you." His lips stretched across his face. She had forgotten how easily he could smile despite any dire situation. "You helped me. Why?" Suddenly, he looked at her and Hinata found herself glancing at anything else but him.

When she didn't answer him right away, he shifted until he was seated next to her. She would have moved from the bed but she still felt tired.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked her. His voice was light.

Of course. He was Naruto, the star of the anime she loved watching every Friday. As loud and boisterous as he was, he inspired her to do her best in college.

But her lack answer made him think otherwise.

"I'm Naruto."

Again, no response.

He sighed. "They hate me." His tone changed into a sad one. "And I don't know why."

She briefly glimpsed him from behind the long curtain of her dark hair. His head was down, his shoulders slightly hunched over. She felt bad for him.

He lifted his head. "But Granny Aida, she takes good care of me." The corner of his lips curled upward. "She's been looking after me for a long time."

He raised his hand to his head and rubbed at his nape of his neck. He began to laugh awkwardly. "I guess... Thanks."

That gratitude had Hinata looking at him with astonishment. The one thing that always amazed her was how positive he remained after all his suffering. And it seemed he still had it in him although she changed some events in his world.

Since talking wasn't easy for her, she settled her hand on his arm. He turned to her, the infectious smile remained on his face. She returned a smile at him.

"Oh, I see you two are getting along quite great," a masculine voice interrupted them.

Naruto's head whipped to the man. "Shinto-san."

"It's Shinto-sama to you brat."

The boy gave him the man an exasperated look. "Shinto-san is Shinto-san."

The man shook his head. "You're a hopeless case."

"Don't let Granny Aida hear you say that."

A half-smile form on the man's lips. "Which is why I'm saying it. She's not here." His eyes shifted to her and she was unprepared for the unnatural color in them. They were yellow, a golden kind that reminded her of the sun. "I heard what you did for him."

There was skeptic look in his eyes. He moved further into the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. Hinata moved most of her weight from her elbows onto her hands. "I'm curious as to why you helped him?"

"Shinto-san," Naruto blared out.

His expression changed as fast as lightening. He splayed his hands into the air while shrugging his shoulders. "I was only trying to make a friendly conversation."

Naruto's eyebrows tugged together. "Are you sure?"

"Of course."

Naruto didn't appear to believe him. This was a new trait for Naruto. Although, he was wary of those who bullied him, Naruto was quick to trust in people, and literally hang on to their every word. He wasn't doing such a thing with this person.

The blond stared at the man a little longer before shaking his head. "Whatever."

He glanced back at Hinata. "Sorry, he's rude."

"Hey! Watch who you're talking about."

Naruto rolled his eyes. Again, Hinata was taken aback.

The man got up from the bed. "I get the hint. I'm not wanted." He retreated from the bedroom, leaving them alone.

"I don't know." He covered his face with his hand. She watched him with fascination, wondering what were some other changes in him.

As if sensing her eyes on him, he peered at her between his fingers. She wanted to ask him if he was a child. He came off as intelligent, his speech pattern above that of a child his age.

She was eight years old and talking was difficult for her. Partially, it had to do with the age she learned to talk. Japanese was a difficult language for her to learn.

And after learning how to say a couple words, everything else took time for her. Mobility with any part of her body came afterward and she mulled over being born differently since she was reincarnated. There was a higher chance that something went wrong.

Suddenly, he closed the distance between them. His cool hand pressed against her forehead. Her cheeks tinted. Her eyes widened as blue filled her vision.

He pulled away. The same hand went to his forehead. His eyebrows pulled together. "You do feel kind of warm. Maybe you should rest."

The moment he said rest, she could feel the heaviness in her limbs. She let her body crashed against the softness of the bed. Her head hit the pillow. Her eyes felt droopy.

The blond child got off the bed. "I'm going to get Granny Aida."

He left her alone. The scene from the open window and the fluttering curtains lulled her to sleep.

OoO

"Get out of my way," a familiar voice popped from the hokage's door. All of a sudden a shinobi landed on his back in the office, making Hiruzen Sarutobi lift his head from his paperwork. Just as things were getting dull some excitement kicked at his door. Paperwork was the most tedious part about his job and he usually procrastinated on it.

A gray-haired female took her time upon entering his office. By then, the fallen shinobi got onto his feet, his hands reaching for his weapon.

"Stop," the hokage ordered the shinobi. The young man froze. The elderly woman who visited Hiruzen was an unpredictable one. She chose to live a peaceful life in Hidden Village a long time ago but her skills as a shinobi couldn't be underestimated. Years ago, during the war, a village on the outskirts of the Land of Fire was destroyed. The village was known as Tamu Waterfall, its location was concealed behind a massive waterfall. The only sole survivor at the time was Aida Hiruma and she had been taken as a prisoner. It was Naruto's father and mother who gained her respect and she started to use her unique abilities to help Anbu members with their difficult missions.

One of the missions tasked to her had been to take care of a young blond boy.

"To what do I owe this visit, Aida-chan?" the hokage greeted as he rose from his seat behind his desk.

"Don't play that game with me you idiot," the elderly woman hissed back at him. The shinobi's jaw dropped at her insult. "I told you to stop saying my name with the chan."

He smiled at her while he raised his arms into the air. "But we've known each other for years."

The old woman rolled her eyes. "I'll say it again. I have no attachment to you." She then mock-smiled at him. "That's my reason for calling you an idiot."

"But you do have an attachment and that's to the little boy you're taking care of," the hokage responded back. Neatly, he folded his hands behind his back.

Her dark eyes narrowed on him. "Are you threatening me?"

"We both know your loyalty lie elsewhere."

"Can you blame me? Your reckless village is the reason my village was destroyed."

"I know."

"And don't forget you keep me imprisoned in this village."

The hokage couldn't deny the truth. Aida would be a force to reckon with if he let her go. She harbored hatred for Hidden Leaf Village and he couldn't blame her. So to keep her in line, he created a linked seal between them that didn't allow her to step one foot out of the village without inflicting serious harm to her or worse, death. The only way she would be free of the seal was by his death.

"I do it for your safety," he revealed. It was a part of the truth.

The other reason had to do with her rare ability. She had a way she could feel people's chakra and manipulate it to benefit her. At times, she could even see the color of their chakra. If anyone found out about her ability, they would seek her for their selfish purposes.

"I heard that a million times."

"So to what do I owe this visit? Does it have something to do with Naruto?"

The old woman let out an air of annoyance. "No, although I wish you can handle how the villagers treat him. He deserves better than what he's getting."

"I agree, but the villagers are not ready to handle the truth."

"Is it the villagers, or is it him you're talking about?"

The third hokage lifted an eyebrow. "You know the answer."

She didn't say a word.

"At least he has you. Can you imagine him on his own?"

Again, she chose to remain silent.

His hands went to his sides as he strolled leisurely around his desk all while keeping his eyes on her. "What is your real reason for being here?"

"Another child ended up in my care," she finally answered him with a straight face.

He paused. "Who?"

A smirked formed on her face and his eyes narrowed. "Quite from an unexpected clan. A Hyuga girl."

"A Hyuga?" That was bizarre. Usually the noble clan kept matters to themselves.

"Yes, and there's more."

"Really?"

"There's been a seal placed on her and since it's been activated it has disrupted the flow chakra in her body."

The old man's forehead creased as he mulled over what Aida told him. "How serious?"

"Very serious. If left alone, she will die. As it is, her body is beginning to shut down."

"I must notify the Hyuga clan," the hokage told himself but he said the words out loud.

"I advise against it," the old woman said instantly. He lifted his eyes to hers. "Think about it. Would Hyuga let one of their own wander the streets? Especially, let a child in her condition be around others?"

"What are you saying?"

"There's evidence of abuse. Whoever activated that seal on her did it with a deadly intent to kill her."

"But the Hyuga clan..."

"They're turning away people and they haven't reported a missing child. They basically abandoned her."

The old man stepped closer to her. His wrinkly face turned grim. "You're making a serious accusation."

"I'm only putting the facts together. Witnesses have claimed to see her wandering the streets in the same clothes for days and no one in the Hyuga family has been searching for her. What does that say?"

"But the Hyuga clan always dealt with their problems discreetly."

"Not this one." Aida shook her head. "They abandoned her. They want her dead."

He inhaled a breath. "Can you save her?"

"I can," she answered.

"Then save her."

The elderly woman sighed. "However..."

The hokage wasn't listening. He went back to his desk. She moved so quickly that he didn't notice her until she thwacked him on the head. He glanced at her while rubbing the sore spot. "What the heck, woman?"

"You can't just dismiss me that easily, you idiot."

The shinobi, who remained forgotten cleared his throat. The elderly pair looked to him. At their disgruntled appearance, the shinobi stepped back while raising both hands to his face.

Aida finally shifted her attention to the hokage. "As I was saying, I can't just save her like that. I'm going to have use a forbidden technique of my people to fuse our chakras together."

The old man frowned. "Isn't that fatal?"

"It will be if I don't have the right support. You're going to be needed and I have to ask you to temporarily lift the seal between us."

The hokage didn't answer right away because to lift Aida's seal was like letting a wild tiger loose from its cage.

"You have to make a decision, quickly," the elderly woman quipped. "To save child, you have to free me. Are you willing to do that?"

That was a good question. Was he willing to uplift the seal he placed on her to prevent a child from dying? Or was he willing to uphold his belief to keep Hidden Leaf safe by sacrificing the Hyuga girl?

* * *

 **A/N:** Aida Hiruma, Shinto and Jina are three original characters, however, it's Aida who is going to play an important role out of three OCs.

*Crosses finger.* What do you think?


	3. Chapter 3

"Shinto," Aida called to the shinobi. He was leaning against the wall of the living room, his eyes closed when he heard her footsteps enter through the doorway.

"Aida-sama," he returned as he opened his eyes. He shifted his lean frame away from the wall. "Something wrong?"

"That idiot," she murmured.

He didn't make any assumptions. Instead, he went to her and simply waited for her to explain herself.

"He chose to let the Hyuga girl die," the elderly woman, who he had come to respect, replied tersely.

"Why?" he questioned. It didn't sound like an action the third hokage would do but then again, he was well aware that he hid dirty secrets from the Hidden Leaf villagers.

"He didn't approve of my method to save her life."

He nodded his head, realization striking swiftly. He was one of the few people who was informed by Sarutobi about the seal that linked him to Aida. To save the girl's life meant that her seal would be uplifted. As much as he disagreed with Aida being confined to Hidden Leaf Village, a part of him felt relieved because she wouldn't suffer greatly from the side effects.

"If I may be frank?" he asked for her permission.

The woman raised her head, her black eyes pinning him to the spot.

He took it as his cue to continue. "You just met a stranger and you're willing to save her life. Normally, you don't heal others unless a mission requires your assistance."

The woman moved her head side-to-side. "You haven't been observing me well, then."

Of course, Aida had known for some time that he had been sent from the third hokage to keep an eye on her and report any suspicious behavior. However, over time he grew to admire and revere her abilities during his missions. She had an unusual knack for healing, a trait that passed down from her people in Tamu Waterfall. It had to do with reading and manipulating chakra to heal instead of diminishing it in the human body.

"You've witnessed how the people mistreat Naruto. Fear and scorn have made them into monsters, even though he's just a child." The elderly woman let out a breath. She walked to Naruto's room where the injured child lay. "Someone finally stepped in to help him and it was a young child like himself." She craned her neck over her shoulder. Her dark eyes staring intently into his pale ones. "Are you asking me to leave her be?"

"No," he quickly denied. "It's…" he couldn't reason with her without make her appear like the culprit.

Aida glanced back at the young girl and walked into the room. "Besides, she reminds me of Naruto."

Blinking her eyes, she focused her attention to all sides of the bedroom. "Where's Naruto?"

"He mentioned looking for you," he answered her.

"That boy is impatient as ever. At least he likes her." Her last comment made him frown.

"Give me some time alone with the child. You search for Naruto. Make sure he's not in trouble," she ordered. She made her way to the side of the bed and sat down on the mattress. The sudden disturbance didn't wake the girl.

"Yes, Aida-sama." He bowed to her while backing away from Naruto's room. He straightened his form and walked to the door, already aware of his first stop. If it was anywhere the blond boy would hang out, it was the ramen shop.

OoO

Since a child, Hiruzen Sarutobi could remember wanting to bring peace to his village. For such an act, many sacrifices were made. People endured hardships, lost loved ones and contributed in their own ways to create peace. Sarutobi had knowledge that Naruto's parents gave up their lives to see Hidden Leaf Village safe. He could only imagine what they would think if the saw how the village they sought to protect treated their son.

It was the hardest choice he had to make, to stand idle while the villagers abhorred a little boy for the nine-tail fox demon he harbored inside his little human body.

He set laws to refrain the villagers from talking about the creature in hopes that Naruto would never figure out his heritage.

And finally with the guilt eating him alive for his wrong doing, he gave the child to the one person who would love him unconditionally. Aida Hiruma.

He didn't make an error with his choice. Even now, Aida still made decisions keeping the boy's well-being in mind. So it came as a shock when she requested for him to temporarily lift the seal for another child.

"A child?" he grumbled. He sat forward in his office chair. His elbow leaned against the desk while he placed his chin on his hand. "And not just any kid. A Hyuga girl."

Across from him stood an ANBU member. The shinobi had long removed his dog-like mask. His dark eyes staring emotionlessly at the third hokage.

"Aida-chan. She has no idea what she's asking. To save the child by allowing to uplift the seal that binds her to this village. What if it's plan to escape from Hidden Leaf Village?" the third hokage questioned. He wasn't expecting an answer from one of the elite ANBU.

Again, his conscience beat at him. Sarutobi also believed that children were the future of Hidden Leaf Village. By allowing the child to die, he felt like he was turning his back on his belief.

He had denied Aida her request.

To justify his cause, he reminded himself that many people who chose to be shinobis didn't live past adulthood. And the truth was it was a sad fate for whoever chose the life of a ninja. The ones who survived like himself, had skeletons in their closets. He could only hope within time that the five nations would one day live peacefully among one another.

Until then, he had to make tough choices for Hidden Leaf Village because his first duty was to see to the place's safety.

"Watch Hiruma Peintingu's shop and report any suspicious behavior," the third hokage ordered the ANBU member.

The young shinobi simply nodded his head and bowed before him.

Waiting for the man to silently leave his office, Sarutobi went back to his paperwork. When he didn't hear the sound of a closing door, he lifted his head.

"Yes," he answered.

The usually stoic ANBU stepped forward and bowed. "If you don't mind me asking, why me instead of Shinto-san?"

The elderly man smiled. He sat back in his chair and sighed. "You and Shinto are friends?"

The dark-haired shinobi shook his head.

"Ah, you worked together on missions then?"

The young man nodded.

Sarutobi glanced down at his folded hands on the paperwork that direly needed to be read. "I have to admit it pains me to say this. Shinto is a great shinobi to Hidden Leaf Village but I must question his loyalty. Aida-chan has a way to persuade people to see her reasoning."

The ANBU member straightened his spine. His voice sounded dark. "Is she a threat?"

The old man's lips stretched on his face, making wrinkles appear on his cheeks. "No. She's far from dangerous." Then his face turned serious and he murmured, "Not as long as the seal I have on her remains in place."

The ANBU bobbed his head.

"However, she has quite impacted Shinto to a point I believe he is withholding information when he reports in."

"I see."

The third hokage lifted his eyes to the shinobi. "Observe him, the boy and the Hyuga girl and report to me."

The young man bowed once again. He retreated to the doorframe while putting on his mask. This time he made sure to close the door behind him. The third hokage sighed. The ANBU member was a lethal and resourceful shinobi and doing such work like observing people seemed demeaning to the other high-ranking missions he completed in the past.

However, the shinobi didn't refuse the mission when requested. He had heard from his adviser that Shinto and the one he asked to do the mission were friends until there was a falling out. Perhaps, he was using their former friendship to get a different point of view. One he considered to be highly intellectual. Or he wanted to see if he was making the right choice when he assumed Shinto to be responsible for treason.

The elderly man let out a breath. "Itachi Uchiha, what will be your choice?"

OoO

So much pain.

Her arms and legs hurt too much to move them.

Her head was spinning.

Her body felt like it was on fire. If only she could scream.

"There, there, child," an unknown voice crooned to her. Despite the pain, the voice was clear. "Open your eyes."

Hinata opened her mouth. She wanted to verbalize that she couldn't see but her vocal cords were stuck.

"Come on, you can do it. Just count to three," the person instructed.

She tried again. Instead she inhaled shaky air into her lungs.

"Okay, now try opening your eyes," the person commanded.

Eyelashes lifted upwards. A bright light temporarily blinded her before blinking numerous times. Fresh tears leaked from the corner of her eyes.

"Good child." A wrinkled face female with gray hair tied up in a bun and black eyes looked down at her. "You've been out of it for some time. I ended up putting you on IV."

The original Hinata might not have understood what the old lady was telling her but the one who inhabited her body did. "How long?" she asked with her not so perfect Japanese.

The woman's eyebrows lifted, disappearing behind her bangs. "It's been three days."

"Three days, huh?" the child sort of mimicked the old woman. It was how she partially learned to speak a foreign language. English was her mother tongue in her previous life.

"Yes, and someone had been worried about you to the point that he wouldn't leave you alone." The woman motioned with her eyes. A smile appeared on her face, making her look ten years younger.

"Granny Aida!" a boy exclaimed from next to her.

Hinata blinked her eyes, then slowly moved her head to the blond. She almost forgot how bright his hair was. It almost hurt to look at the shininess, the color filling her vision. His smile was infectious. "Hey."

She returned his smile before her gaze skirted from his. "Hi."

He sat down next to her on the bed, making her wince from the slight dip on the mattress. As if realizing his mistake, he instantly stood up and scratched the back of his head. "I'm sorry."

She shook her head, her lips still tilting upward. "It's okay."

"I'm going to get some food," the woman named Aida announced.

"Okay," Naruto said to her.

"You better be kind to her," the elderly woman warned him. "Remember she's still in pain."

The blond folded his arms over his chest. "I got it, granny."

She eyed him seriously before turning her back on them. When she left the room, Naruto dragged a chair to the bed and sat on it. He moved his face closer to the dark-haired girl. Uncomfortably, she shifted away from him. Her breath hitched from the sudden pain in arms and legs.

"It's good to hear you speaking," he said as he broke the silence.

"Huh?"

"The last time we talked, you didn't say a word and your face was all red. I thought you were weird."

"Oh," was all she could say. In the anime, Hinata's lack of response and the fact that she couldn't look him in the eye without fainting made him think she was weird.

"But you have a nice voice." Saying what he said, he awkwardly looked away from her. A sheepish expression overtook his face.

"Thanks."

Hearing the appreciation, he gave her his winning grin. "No problem."

Hinata couldn't help when her cheeks flushed. She bit her lip with her teeth while her eyelashes lowered. It seemed that though she stole Hinata Hyuga's body -because that was what she was, a stealer- the body still reacted a certain way toward Naruto.

Her fingers curled in the fabric of the blanket keeping her body warm.

"Ummm…."

"It's sunny outside," the boy burst out.

Before the girl knew what she was doing, she was having a coughing fit.

"Are you okay?" Naruto asked her while he sat next to her. His hands paused mid-air, a panic expression filtered his face. The girl fell more into a coughing fit.

When she calmed down, she just let the new tears fall from her eyes. "I'm fine," she said.

"You don't look like it." His blue eyes moved to the door. "And if Granny walked through that door and saw everything…." He shuddered while wrapping his arms around himself.

"Is she that scary?"

"Yeah," the boy nodded his head. "One time I did a bad prank outside. I messed up the hokages' faces with paint and she chased me down a broom."

Hinata's lips stretched across her face. "And there was this other time I faked being sick, she made me clean the paint shop from top to bottom."

"Paint shop?" she questioned.

"Hiruma Peintingu. It's the name of the paint shop granny owns."

"She sells paints?"

The boy's head moved side-to-side. "She sells rare paintings from the five nations. Granny Aida has a special eye for fine paintings. She can restore any old painting or the ones that she has holds great value."

"Wow," was all she said. She had some knowledge of painting pictures in her previous life. In college, she majored in fine arts. She wanted to create her favorite anime characters and hopefully someday work in animation.

"Yep, she's been owning the shop for some time now and she's known by the rich people in the five nations." The way Naruto talked about the elderly woman, he clearly held pride for her. It was the way he held his head up high, the big grin on his face, and how his blue eyes sparkled.

"You really love her, don't you?" Hinata couldn't help but ask.

"Yeah!" he said as a matter of fact.

"How long have you've been living with her?"

Naruto glanced up at the ceiling. He put a finger to his chin while trying to figure out the answer. "Since I could remember."

"So, it's been that long, huh?" Hinata continued to question him. So much had changed in Naruto. It definitely wasn't following the anime and she could bet that it wasn't following the manga either. A fact that she observed with anime and manga was how they acted to be alternate worlds. There was usually a difference –even in the slightest- in a manga and anime, giving the impression of another reality; a little change that could lead from worse to better or vice versa.

But this change was vast. Hinata was disinherited from the Hyuga clan at a younger age. In addition, she was kicked out. Naruto didn't grow up in Hidden Leaf Village alone. Someone, an unidentified character, took care of him. She didn't know Aida's relationship to the other characters. There was also the other man with the eerie yellow eyes.

"Oy!" The blond was so close to her face that she jerked on the bed. Her forehead clashed hard against his own, making him fall back from the bed. He went careening to the floor, knocking aside the chair in the process.

"Ay, ay, ouch," Hinata muttered while pressing her fingers to her forehead.

Naruto clutched at his head with his hands.

Glimpsing him between her fingers, she felt bad for causing trouble. "I'm sorry."

"No," he said while shaking his head. He got up from the floor. "It's my fault."

He righted the chair and sat back down.

"It's nice that you have…." She bit her lip, unsure how to discuss his past life. Slowly, she moved her hand away from her face.

"Granny has always looked out for me even though the villagers hate me."

"That's terrible of them," Hinata said a little bit to fiercely.

His face took on a shocked expression. His blue eyes widening.

"Seriously. Those villagers go on saying ridiculous things and they pick on you."

The boy bowed his head, his blond hair concealing his eyes. It dawned on her that she brought up painful memories. "I'm sorry." She clamped her mouth shut.

"No, it's okay." He lifted his chin and he looked at her like he was seeing her for the first time. "No one besides Granny ever stood up for me."

It was her turn to be shocked. "Uhh…."

"Plus, you talk a lot."

Hinata scrunched her facial features together while shutting her eyes. "I'm sorry."

He laughed, open and carefree and she decided she like that about him. He scratched the back of his head. "You like to apologize, don't you?"

"No, it's not that." She tried to fumble for words. "I…." The truth was her Japanese wasn't perfect. Being a late bloomer in both motor skills and language caused her to be self-conscience. Especially since her father used to insult her all the time.

She was beginning to learn that the environment and the body's old habits made her similar to the Hinata from the anime.

"I'm just…."

"Naruto?" the elderly woman called out to him. "Don't you have to focus on your studies?"

"What?" He turned and blinked his eyes at Aida.

"Don't act all innocent. Go join Jina-chan in the shop and finish your studies," the woman ordered him. Despite holding a tray of hot food in her hands, she still emitted a frightening aura. The boy instantly shot out of his seat.

"Thanks and get better!" He was about to run out of the room when he paused. The old lady set the tray where he previously sat.

"What is it Naruto?" Aida didn't have to glance over her shoulder to know he was still in the room.

"I forgot something." He pivoted on his feet. His blue eyes landed on Hinata. "What's your name?"

Even the elderly woman halted in her action of mixing the food on the plate with the chopsticks. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"Sorry? That's your name."

"No!" Hinata shouted embarrassedly but checked herself. "Hinata. Hinata Hyuga."

The boy smiled. "Nice to meet you Hina-chan." And then he dashed out of the bedroom, leaving Hinata to face the old lady.

OoO

After being fed and put to lay back down on the bed, Hinata noted the old lady hovering a hand over her body. Her eyes were shut, her face calm as her hand moved from her stomach to her face.

"She's reading your chakra," another voice, a masculine one informed her. Her eyes flickered to where the dark-haired shinobi stood, leaning against a wall. His hands folded over his broad chest. "Hold still and wait until she finishes."

The child's eyes shifted toward the elderly woman when she saw a blue light flaring from her hand. After a moment, the light faded and Aida opened her eyes. "Hinata-chan, is it?"

The girl bobbed her head. Words failed her at Aida's stern expression.

"The flow of your chakra has improved somewhat but it's choppy. Any rigorous movement on your part or sudden spike in emotions will elevate the choppiness in your chakra, causing your body to shut down. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Kind of," she replied timidly.

The woman sighed. "At least you're better understanding my explanations than Naruto."

The man chuckled from across the room.

She lifted hard eyes at him. The man raised in his hands in peace. "I didn't mean to offend you, Aida-sama."

Putting her attention back to the child, she continued. "In other words, rest. Don't get up unless you have to and don't do anything that will stress you out."

Hinata nodded.

"Good." She took the tray that held the empty plate, used chopsticks and the empty glass from the seat. "Here," she held out the tray to the other shinobi. "Make yourself useful."

The younger man didn't complain. He smirked while he made his way to the elderly woman and took the tray from her hands.

"Now, go." He took the hint to leave them alone.

The moment he disappeared from Naruto's bedroom, Aida looked to the kid. "Now child, if you don't mind, I need to tell me what happened to get you in this state."

Hinata glanced down at the white bed covers, uncertain if she should reveal the events that led her to meeting Naruto. After all, the Hyuga clan kept their dealings a secret.

"Look, I can't help you unless I'm aware of the seal that's been placed on you."

The dark-haired girl looked up at the woman with shocked eyes. "You know that…?"

"Someone placed a deadly seal on you and activated it. They did it with a serious intention to kill you? Now, why would someone want to do that to you?"

The child chewed her lip while debating on her telling her everything. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. After a while of silence, she confessed. "Because I'm not strong enough."

Aida lifted her eyebrows. "Strong enough? You're just a child."

"You don't get it." Hinata tilted her head. She lifted a shaky finger to her eyes. "This is the prized possession of the Hyuga clan."

"The Byakugan."

Instead of being astonished, Hinata trailed on with her explanation. "I couldn't use it and I failed the fight to be a heiress for the Hyuga clan."

"So the seal was activated…."

"To make sure that I can never use the byakugan or that no outsiders can obtain it."

"It's hideous that the master disarms a child for such a pointless reason."

Hinata shook her head. "It's the way our clan has always been."

"Your clan sounds like they don't value life."

The girl was about to say something but Aida interrupted. "My village, Tamu Waterfall, was a water village located in the fire land region. When the fire nation expanded their territory, my people were able to conceal their village from outsiders until the battles of war spread into our home. Not much of my people were spared and the ones who were, they didn't live for long. Death, witnessing it or almost experiencing it makes life worth living."

The elderly woman slightly shook her head. "But the Hyuga clan sounds like they don't know the importance of living."

"The eyes are the true treasure," Hinata said, recalling what she read from the subtitles pertaining to byakugan in the anime.

"You're still alive, Hinata-chan. They shouldn't have taken away your gift if you couldn't use it. Besides, you're a kid."

She wanted to tell Aida that she was an adult trapped in a kid's body but such a remark would have negative consequences. Especially since the old woman was protective over Naruto.

"Be different from your clan. Your life is priceless. As of now, with my limited abilities I bought you some time. Don't do anything reckless that will shorten your life, child."

Hinata bobbed her head.

"Good. I'm going to leave you to get some rest." The old lady got up from her seat and strolled leisurely out of the bedroom.

"Thank you," she whispered, not getting the chance to show her gratitude to the person who saved her life. She had died once and it would suck if she died again.

* * *

 **A/N:** I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. I'm really getting into this story since I'm rewatching the Naruto episodes. The amount of ideas I have in store for the characters and for our main heroine, Hinata, I don't think I can keep track of everything. More of Naruto's characters will make their appearance in the next chapter. Also, happy holidays to you and your family. :)


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** I promise I didn't forget this story. I've been updating other stories in between and I'm sorry for not updating sooner. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks. :)

* * *

A week had passed since the chat with Aida and Hinata noticed that there was a change between them. The woman had grown kinder to her. She even fussed about Hinata trying to help out with the household chores. Naruto took in everything with a silly grin on his face.

Seeing his beam made the dark-haired girl smile in return. She couldn't help as she bent her head, the long strands of midnight hair concealing her heated face. Yep, Naruto did have an effect on her or at least with her body.

She hoped with all her heart that the blond wasn't observant with how she reacted to him. It was obvious that her mind went against her emotions. Logically, she wanted to be his friend. Emotionally, her feelings were chaotic for him.

She stuck with keeping herself occupied to make up for the passing time. So for the past week since she had been watching him, she caught wind of the big differences in Naruto from this world than the one in the anime. Naruto in the anime had a desire to prove himself despite the way he was mistreated by the people around him. This Naruto seemed content to let the simplest remark pass him. The other Naruto struggled to survive and to get attention, he caused trouble. This Naruto was simply more relaxed, and one could tell he thought before doing his actions. It was quite clear that he was intelligent, seeing that he was home schooled instead of attending the Academy, so he got that one-to-one lessons catered to his learning needs. Which led Hinata to asking the question why he didn't attend the Academy in Hidden Leaf Village like all the other kids who wanted to be ninjas.

"I don't get it." The older woman paused in gathering the dirty plates on the table while Hinata put together the half-empty glasses. "Naruto-kun doesn't go to school like the other students. Why?"

Aida inhaled a breath before returning to her task. "He doesn't need to."

"I know."

"Then why ask?" Aida returned with a question.

"I thought that..."

"I choose not to go," the blond's voice interrupted their discussion. The dark-haired girl's head whipped to his direction. Her face instantly turned red from embarrassment. She found she couldn't look him in the eye.

"Uh..." For some reason she became incoherent with him around.

"Attending the Academy means paying a large fee, money we don't have at the moment."

Hinata frowned while trying to recall if Naruto paid school fees when he went to school. He did fail the test to become a shinobi twice but the boy wasn't threatened with having to pay money for his failures.

"And I am swearing to use my skills as a shinobi to defend Hidden Leaf Village."

She pushed out a chair to sit down on it, absently taking note that Aida wasn't traditional like the other families in Hidden Leaf Village. Her living standards were more westernized with the usage of chairs, sofas, beds, and other things.

"What are you saying?" she asked carefully. She had a feeling she wasn't going to like the answer.

"If he doesn't have to attend the Academy but still learn the skills of a shinobi then he could still be what he wants to be," Shinto answered for the boy. He mysteriously appeared out of nowhere into the kitchen.

"But-," she was interrupted.

"I don't want to have to fight for something that is meaningless," Naruto said. His words were shocking, much altered from the Naruto in the anime. Yet Hinata shouldn't have been astounded by him since the world she lived in was far dissimilar to the one she watched on television. Perhaps secretly, she wanted the Naruto who didn't give up.

"He's right. Giving an oath to protect the village that despises him is meaningless. It's better he's learning to fight for his own beliefs," Shinto added. The last part of his sentence outdid her. "This village isn't worth his time."

Her eyes flickered to Aida, trying to gage her reaction. The old woman kept her face stoic.

The girl put her hands on her lap. Her fingers twisted the fabric of her pants that Aida bought for her. She made sure to avoid eye contact with her next statement. "Shinto-sama, you are going against your oath even though you are a Hidden Leaf Village shinobi."

"No, I fight for this village for a particular reason."

"Shinto," the elderly woman warned him.

"She should know," Naruto said. Both eyes turned to the blond. "She's one of us."

"No."

Somehow, hearing that one word from Aida hurt more than she wanted to let on.

"I'm sorry," Hinata said. She stood up from the chair, wincing as the legs heavily scraped across the wooden floor. Keeping her down, she dashed noisily around the table to Naruto's room. She flung herself on the bed, hiding her shamed face in the soft pillows. In one week, she let herself imagine that she found a place to belong. She was happy.

A dream would always remain a dream.

She sighed. She had to remember that she inhabited a body that was not hers. That she was temporarily living in another world on borrowed time.

Hinata turned on her back, her eyes looking at the white ceiling. Her vision blurred between white to black. Finally, giving into the whims of the child's body, she began to cry. Never had she felt so unloved and unwanted.

OoO

Shinto watched with amusement as the blond child turned to face Aida. His face displayed determination. His chakra brimming around his body. His fists clenched in anger. Even with the nine-tail demon fox housed inside him, the child was no match for the elderly lady.

Shinto just crossed his arms over his chest, letting the scene play out. Aida was up to something and the former ANBU shinobi was going to find out what she had planned.

"Why did you reject her?" the boy hissed like a cat.

He could imagine red cat ears on the boy's head and a long red tail curling behind him. Shinto's lips twisted upward on his face.

"She's not one of us," the woman simply answered him.

"But she defended me and she's fragile," the boy reasoned.

"Still, it's not enough for her to be one of us. What if she's acting?"

"She can't be pretending," the boy said fiercely in his belief. "Not when she took a beating for me. She talks nicely to me, she helps out and she smiles at me."

"Yeah, anyone can do that," Aida taunted. "I smile at you, feed, clothe, and shelter you. I give you a decent education. Does that mean-."

"Don't give me that crap!" the boy shouted. The old woman's eyes widened. Shinto was also surprised by the child's outrage. "You love me! Shinto-san and Jina-chan love me too! Hina-chan cares for me!"

Aida's face softened and she lowered herself in front of Naruto. She put her hands on the child. "Do you really think she cares for you?"

"Yes," the boy responded.

"Look inside you, Naruto. Face the beast and ask him the same question. Do you think the Hyuga girl is someone we can trust?" The boy closed his eyes, his facial features instantly relaxing. His fists unclenched as he went into a meditative state.

Shinto arms went limp at his sides as he quietly and stealthily walked to the two people. Aida's eyes moved to him but there was a rare sparkle in the dark depths that caused him to freeze.

The blond's eyes shot open. His demeanor completely changed from the anger he was radiating moments ago.

"So?" the elderly lady encouraged him.

"Yes," Naruto responded with more self-assurance.

"If the demon inside of you thinks we can trust her than I agree too." Aida patted the boy's shoulders.

The big grin on his face became contagious to the point that when Naruto glanced over to him. Shinto smirked. Aida let go the boy and watched with affection as he ran into the bedroom to console his new friend.

Shinto didn't need to voice his opinion. He figured what happened from the scene. There was a motive for the third hokage leaving Naruto in Aida's care. Being gifted in manipulating chakra, she had a hold over the boy that other shinobis didn't have. There was an additional unspoken reason for not allowing the blond to go to the Academy just as yet. She was teaching the boy to better control his emotions, to get along with the demon inside of him.

If only the hokage knew that Naruto was already aware of the nine-tail demon than his accommodation would end. That was why Shinto changed his allegiance. He wouldn't have his family of misfits torn apart. An ex-ANBU member (himself), an outsider of Hidden Leaf Village, a crazy shinobi, a demon child, and an abandoned child from a well-known clan -that was what he was fighting for.

OoO

She heard slow footsteps approached her in the bedroom and Hinata turned to her side, covering her teary face. How many times had her father scolded her for crying? Only weak people cried. It didn't matter if she was just a child.

In real life she was an adult stuck in a child's body.

The shuffling sound paused beside the bed.

"Hinata?" a boy called her name but it was her name without any honorific. "Please don't cry."

His words made more tears spilled down her cheeks.

"I don't know what to do."

His confession tore at her heart.

"Please."

She felt the mattress dipped at the side, but he still yet had to touch her.

"Granny didn't mean what she said. You're a very much part of our family."

She pulled her head from the pillow, not caring the pillow case got stained with her tears. She was going to wash it later with the rest of clothes, or at least try without Aida making a fuss. "No."

"But you are. The moment you stuck up for me, I knew we would become family."

She craned her head over her shoulder, her unusual watery white eyes looking at him. "But we're not related by blood."

"Who told you we have to be blood related to be family?" he asked with a frown on his face. Then his expression was replaced by a big grin. "Granny Aida isn't really my grandma but she's family."

"It's just my father..." It was more than her father. In her previous life, she had a big family and they were all related by blood -from her parents to her third cousins. She didn't need to have a friend and consider them family.

She was once loved unlike her recent life.

"Who we are born with and grow up with, that's family. And there's a saying, blood is thicker than water."

"Is it really?" he questioned. "I guess I would think differently because I never knew my real parents. They died when I was born."

Her dark lashes swept down. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. With Granny Aida, Shinto-san and Jina-chan, I never have to ask more from a family. We make each other laugh, we eat each other's food and laugh over each other's weirdness, and we support each other when we are sad. It's great! And you're part of that too, now."

A slight smile appeared on her face despite the tears. "Thank you, Naruto-kun."

"Nope." His thumb pointed at his chest while a big grin showed his white teeth. His whisker marks made him adorable. "Just call me Naruto."

"But, it's not right."

"Why?"

"Well, I was raised to show everyone proper respect."

He sat fully on the bed. Hinata had to adjust her body until she was sitting beside him cross-legged. He placed an arm over her shoulders. "Come on, you're one of us now. That means you can't go about thinking everyone is better than you." Then he removed his arm and scratched his blond head. "Actually, we have to show Granny respect. She runs everything, the shop and here."

The tears stopped falling and Hinata felt her cheeks hurting from smiling so much.

"You see, that's the smile I want to see!" he exclaimed. It was hard to be serious around Naruto. He had a way of making everything seemed a lot better than it usually was.

She started laughing.

He stood on up the bed striking a pose and aiming at himself. "And now you can call me Naruto."

She stopped.

He glanced down at her, blinking his blue eyes. "What? Did I go too far?"

"More like you're asking too much," she replied.

Instantly, he sat down, making the whole mattress shake. She almost fell off the bed. "Sorry."

Shaking her dark head, she smiled. "No don't be. Thank you for making me feel better."

"No problem." His cheeky grin returned. "By the way, you're getting better with your Japanese. You spoke a whole lot to me."

She blinked. "I did."

"Yep."

Her whole face lightened. "I guess I did."

OoO

Sometimes she felt bad. Every night Naruto took to sleeping on the floor while she took the bed. She felt like she invaded his personal space. But when she mentioned changing positions, he dismissed her suggestion saying what kind of gentleman was he to have a female sleeping on the floor or something like that.

Still, she couldn't help but peer over the mattress and watch how comically he slept. Bathed in the moonlight, he kicked the blankets off his frame. His legs and feet splayed wide apart, his mouth hanging open as his loud snores filled the room. Drool leaked at the corner of his mouth.

Hinata stifled her laughter.

How could he be so carefree when the moment he walked outside, the world was cruel to him?

He already held a grudge on Hidden Leaf Villiage but it wasn't the type that he wanted to hurt people. No. He felt like didn't owe them anything. He only supported his family.

Her cheeks heated when she recalled how he considered her family.

Laying back on the bed, her eyes staring at the ceiling partially lit by the moonlight, a whisper of a smile crossed her face. She liked being included in his family. He was very nice to her unlike her father who always replied scathingly to her.

"Father, you're wrong," she said. "There is kindness in this world."

OoO

"Hina-chan, no!" Naruto called out to her. She tried to lift a bucket of water to place on the kitchen counter when he intervened. "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to help," she said, her head lowering.

As if realizing his mistake, he patted her on the head. "I'm not mad at you. I just don't want the both of us getting into trouble. Granny will make me copy fifty pages from a book as punishment and she'll make you sit on the bed with a book to read."

The dark-haired child didn't mind reading a book but it was the fact that she was learning to read a different language that got her stuck. Without Naruto showing her what different kanjis meant, she was looking at gibberish.

Aida made it a habit to take some time from her duties to teach the young girl.

"I can't help but feel stupid," the girl once complained to the blond. "I can't learn to fight or use chakra. I can't read or speak properly."

"You're too hard on yourself," the boy consoled her. "You want to run before walking."

She kind of laughed. "Where did you hear that one?"

"Granny Aida likes to use analogies..." He put a finger to his chin as he looked lost in thought. "Or is it figurative language?"

He turned his head to her. She shrugged her shoulders. "Why are you asking me?"

"At least you can talk better."

Her cheeks became red. She averted her attention from him, finding the floor interesting. "I owe it to you."

He moved his head closer to her. His hand partially covering his ear. "What did you say?"

Playfully, she pushed him. "I'm not saying it again."

Then she jogged away from him. "Aw, come on Hina-chan! Don't be like that!"

He chased after her. Both of their laughters filling the house.

It was since entering the Aida's household, the dark-haired girl wanted to thank them some way. Despite lacking in many things, Aida didn't meanly judge her like her father. Instead, the elderly woman made her feel at home.

"That's how Granny is. She's very kind under a strict demeanor."

"Oh," Hinata said.

"So never feel like you're not wanted because just you being here makes everyone happy."

The girl nodded her head.

"And now, what are you doing with the bucket of water?" he asked.

"I was going to wash-."

"No clothes and no dishes."

"What?"

He put a hand on her shoulder. "You heard granny. You're not suppose to be doing anything strenuous."

"But I'm not-."

"Hinata." When he said her full name, it meant he was being serious.

"Fine." She sat down on a stool by the kitchen counter and folded her arms across her chest. "I won't do anything."

"Aw, don't be like that Hina-chan," he said. He didn't want her to do anything but he wanted her to be happy. She wasn't a lazy person.

But she couldn't do anything that involved heavy lifting or cardio. Aida was stern about it.

"I know!" He pounded a fist into his hand. Then he bent down and lifted the bucket of water on the kitchen counter. "I'm going to show you something that Granny showed me."

Hinata pretended not to be interested but from her peripheral vision, she saw him reach for a cup and scooped some water into it. He placed the cup of water in front of her. The dark-haired girl, this time, couldn't ignore him. "What do you know about water?"

"We drink it," she said while putting her hands into the air.

"That's a good start. What else do you know about water?"

She scratched her ear. Her mind was lost in thought. "We need water for many things."

"Exactly," Naruto said enthusiastically, as if her response was what he was waiting for. "Water is important to life."

"Okay," she said, not fully following along with his logic.

"Granny says that water is like our chakra and chakra is very important to us." He picked up the cup and poured some liquid into the bucket and paused halfway. "The way the water flows, our chakra does the same thing in our body. If we can feel our chakra, we can learn to control it."

She nodded, actually feeling proud of herself for following along.

"Very good, Naruto," the old lay pitched behind the kids, making them jump.

The blond rubbed the back of his head, a big grin displaying on his childish face. "Thanks Granny Aida."

She patted his head and Hinata noted that Naruto did the same action to her. Picking up the cup, Aida poured all the water back into the bucket. "Now let me explain to you children how to control chakra."

Both the kids bobbed their heads.

"What do you notice about the water in the bucket?" she asked them in a teacherly form.

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked.

"Okay, let's try from this perspective." Scooping the water into her hands, she moved the water to the table, hovering and then letting the liquid spill between her splayed wrinkly fingers. The water splashed on the table, startling the children. "Now what do you notice about the water?"

"The water doesn't have a shape," Naruto answered suddenly.

"Very good." The old woman beamed proudly at him. She turned her attention to the dark-haired girl. "Water will take shape of whatever object is holding it. In this instance the water is taking shape of a bucket but if I were to turn it over..."

"The water will lose shape," Hinata was quick to answer so she wouldn't be out done by Naruto.

He gave her a thumbs up and the old woman smiled.

"Watch this." She picked up the bucket with ease and turned it over.

The dark-haired girl almost cried out as the water spilled out but instead of splattering the table and wetting them, the water floated in the air while remaining the shape of the bucket. She blinked her eyes. She had seen amazing things her father could do such as disabling a person by attacking the joints on their body. But she didn't have the eyes to see how he used the chakra.

Here she did. Aida showed it to them clearly and her mouth dropped open when Aida placed the bucket on the table and the water drifted back into it's original place.

"How?" she asked.

"Granny Aida has an affinity to water."

"Affinity?"

"It means she has an element she could use with ease and completely master."

"Really?" Hinata blinked her eyes again.

Then she looked at the blond boy. "Do you have one? An element you have affinity to?"

He looked lost in thought. Aida answered for him. "He has affinity for fire."

Her eyes widened. "I will love to know mine."

"Not until you get better."

The girl deflated.

Naruto put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, I can show you some moves."

The happiness returned to her face. "Thank you, Naruto-kun."

His face dropped. "What?" she asked, worried that she said something wrong.

"Call me Naruto." His thumbed himself.

She laughed, realizing she didn't hurt his feelings and he grinned back.

"I'm not done with your lesson yet," the older woman interrupted them. Both children turned their focus on her and listened quietly.

She pulled out a leaf from nowhere. Hinata blinked again. Was that possible?

The woman dipped her forefinger in the water and then touched the leaf. The drop of water trailed down the leaf onto the surface of the water, then bounced and dropped becoming smaller. It continued to bounce along the water until it disappeared. Hinata watched with fascination.

"I showed you kids how to hold a big amount of chakra. Now this demonstration is how to control your chakra. You focus on the drop of water and slowly you let some of your chakra go."

The demonstration was amazing. Aida didn't have to chant or use hand signals. She controlled the shape of the water with ease by using her chakra. It was as if she transferred her chakra to the drop of water. Hinata learned a lot from one sitting but it dawned on her how little she knew about chakra.

"I will like to learn how to do that Aida-sama," Hinata said.

"Me too," Naruto pitched in.

Two figures walked into the room. Hinata recognized Shinto and Jina but she hardly saw the young woman. She wore black shinobi clothing. Her face was partially covered with something that looked like a dust mask. Her eyes were blue like Naruto's and her auburn hair was braided and kept over her left shoulder.

"You gave them the chakra demonstration?" Shinto questioned. His dark eyebrows rose as a hint of a smirk appeared on his face.

Aida nodded her head.

Hinata wanted to say something but Naruto beat her to the punch. "Jina-chan and Shinto-san. Where were you?"

"On a mission," Shinto replied.

"Oh, you screwed it up."

"What did you say?" The male shinobi looked as if he was going to chase after the blond boy.

"You heard me! " And then he ran out of the kitchen with the other man running behind him. Hinata wondered why he didn't use his stealth to catch her friend.

But she shook her head and returned her attention to the water in the bucket. "Do you think I can do what you did?" she asked the elderly lady.

"You can when your chakra gets better."

The dark-haired girl nodded her head.

"Jina-chan, can you help me with something?" Aida motioned to the quiet woman.

The red head moved to the woman.

"Wait," Hinata called after Aida. The old woman looked over her shoulder.

"You say chakra flows through our body. Is chakra similar to our circulatory system, you know like how blood flows through our body?"

Aida gave her a strange look but not to be deterred, she continued, "I once heard a theory that if a man can control his heartbeat, he can control his blood flow. Do you think that it's possibly related to chakra and the water demonstration?"

The old woman thought for a moment. "Perhaps it's possible." She shifted her gaze to the woman next to her. Jina also stared at Hinata oddly before they went about doing their task, leaving the child to ponder if she asked a bizarre question.

OoO

The old woman made her way to the yard with the other younger shinobi following her. She reached for the dried clothes hanging on the line. She took down each one and folded it. Gently, she placed them on the picnic table. Jina worked on the other clothes line.

"What do you think of the Hyuga girl?" Aida asked the serious ninja while pausing in her task.

"She's quite observant in her assessment with chakra and blood flow." It was as if she understood the underlying message of the water demonstration. Only someone with a talent for seeing the potential in an element could make such an observation.

"I think we may have found the element the girl has a affinity to," the old woman commented, a small smile reflecting on her face and in her dark eyes.

* * *

 **A/N:** Please comment.


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